Weekly Bull 7/31/19

SAN DIEGO COUNTY FOOTBALL OFFICIALS ASSOCIATION

THE WEEKLY BULL - July 31, 2019

All 1st Year and 2nd Year/Transfer  Officials - must meet in their regular classrooms at Challenger MS every meeting. Do not attend the Line of Scrimmage Clinic.  Your classrooms will be the same as last week and will stay the same until September.  1st Year class in room 203 and 2nd year class in room 204.

Line of Scrimmage Clinic – This Wednesday 7:00 pm in the Challenger MS Auditorium, Steve Hoslett (Mountain West Conference Head Linesman) will discuss:  Game Day Preparation, Pre-Snap Routines, Initial Keys and Reacting to the Play, and Dead Ball Officiating.  This is a great opportunity for all officials to hear from one of the best NCAA officials at that position!  

Fitness - Scrimmages are two weeks away!  You want to look good out there so update your uniform, tailor those pants, and keep up your fitness routine. Don’t forget to hydrate in this heat starting the day before the scrimmage and provide time for your stretching routine to prevent injury. 

Equipment/Uniform Suppliers This list is also provided on the SDCFOA.org website.

Don’t forget to donate gently used equipment and uniforms to the 1st year class in room 203! 

Apple Watch App. Can Time the 25/40 Second Play Clock – Along with the Ready-Ref and other timing devices for sale, Apple has released an Apple Watch application that will work in the same manner (vibrating signals allowing you to keep your focus on your pre-snap routine rather than looking at a watch).  Some person named Ryan Smith is responsible for this app. and he can be searched in the app store for a free download. 

David Hardage to be Inducted into the San Diego County Sports Officials Hall of Fame – The Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will take place Tuesday, September 24th at 6:00 pm where our own, David Hardage will be inducted into this prestigious group!  David has had an illustrious career in officiating softball, football and basketball.  He has risen to the top of the NCAA Women’s Softball officiating ranks working in the PAC 12 and other major college conferences plus many international competitions.  And we all know about his dedication and leadership in the SDCFOA.  Please join us in celebrating David’s contributions to officiating.  You may purchase tickets on the website at www.sandiegosportsofficialshof.com/2019-induction-dinner.  Credit cards will be accepted on the website.  Let’s fill up the room with football officials and have the kind of celebration David deserves! 

Failure of the School to Pay in a Timely Manner – If this were to occur, all communication with the school will be done by the referee.  I will be providing all referees with a list of schools, coaches, and athletic directors that contains their emails.  Referees may contact the head coach, AD, or financial secretary at the school for assistance.  Remember, report your concerns to your referee.  Do not contact the school on your own. 

San Diego CIF 25-Yardline Overtime Procedures - is mandatory for all varsity games in San Diego County CIF (varsity level only!).  There are no options.  Any varsity game for any sized division (D1 – D5) must use the 25-yardline tiebreaker when the game ends in a tie score at the end of regulation. The result will be a win or a loss.  The procedure can be found on our website under RULES.  We are not using the “mandatory go-for-two” rule implemented by the NCAA this year.  We may include next year….but not this year.  No changes to the procedure.

Out-of-Town Teams – When a team from out-of-town comes to San Diego to play, they are playing by the CIDSDS rules.  That includes mandatory overtime.  If a team were to refuse to play overtime it would simply be reported to me and I would inform CIF who would award a “win” to the SD team (I assume).  Teams from out of CA may also be surprised that we have a Mercy Rule in CA, and that a player who exhibits signs or symptoms consistent with a concussion is disqualified for the remainder of the game.  Those are the 1- SD and 2 - CA possible differences.  They may be included into your pre-game meeting with the coach. 

Spotting the Ball Following Touchbacks – When a ball goes out of bounds across a sideline, or when a free kick goes out of bounds across a sideline and R chooses not to have K re-kick, the ball will be place at the nearest hashmark.  But what if the ball is dead in the endzone?  We must inform the head coach during the pre-game coach’s conference that we will assume he wants the ball placed in the center of the field, BUT, flank officials must be cognizant that the coach may want the ball placed anywhere between the hashmarks.  He has that right by rule.  Please use the numbering system in our mechanics manual (positions 1-5 starting at the hash closest to the pressbox) to communicate the position selected by the coach.  Use of O2O for this communication is encouraged. 

Quick Tips for Communicating with Head Coaches:

  1. Never, never, never ignore a coach’s request. You may have to inform the coach that you will have to wait a play or two to get the information to the other officials, but never ignore!

  2. Make eye contact. A coach wants to be assured that he has you attention.

  3. Avoid “squaring off with the coach” rather, turn your body slightly at an angle.

  4. Refer to the coach as “Coach” or “Coach Jones”.

  5. Keep your communication brief and formal.

  6. Avoid joking and sarcasm.

  7. Adopt a neutral tone and avoiding any personal remarks.

  8. Stick to the issue at hand in a straightforward way.

  9. Ask them to help with problem players. Be sure to identify the problem in explicit terms, without making the player to be an evil person. Sometimes it’s hard to do, but it can be accomplished with a careful choice of language.

  10. Remember: get used to the coach having the last say. This will most likely end the conversation.

  11. Remain calm under all circumstances. Let coaches have their say. When a coach approaches to protest or argue, adopt an instant “listening mode” and let the aggrieved individual finish his remarks. Don’t interrupt.

  12. Use non-confrontational body language. To be aware of body posture, facial expression, head tilt and arm position, one must say, “I am going to appear receptive and contemplative. I can think best and measure my words that way. I am determined to not escalate the problem.”

  13. If you make a mistake, admit it. A simple apology is sufficient; do not elaborate or rationalize (i.e. make excuses)

  14. When a coach raises their voice, lower yours. A soft voice has a way of triggering a reciprocal soft reply.

  15. Support fellow officials. Never betray partners by showing that you doubt their judgment. Instead indicate faith in someone else’s decision by saying the partner had a better view of a more favorable angle than the responding official or partner.

  16. Give praises to promote sportsmanship. When a coach makes a gesture of consideration for the opponents or towards the official, be sure to acknowledge it. Sometimes a smile and nod of the head are enough.

  17. Keep your ego under control. Often a mere glance will carry a significant message, whether it’s negative or positive, whether it is meant to curtail dialogue or to encourage it. A quizzical expression can signal a desire for additional input, whereas a frown may denote closure.

  18. Don’t use your hands when talking to a coach. Your gestures will reveal more than you’ll want to convey.

“Our primary job is to be the integrity of the game.  It is a player’s game, it is a coach’s game, it is a fan’s game and we are there to support the sense of fair play!” Tony Corrente, NFL Referee

July 31 2019
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